U.S. Publication No. 2004/0206593 discloses an intermediate element fixed to a turbine shell by a conventional round rivet.
FIG. 1a shows cross-sectional side view of a torque converter 10 including a turbine shell 12 supporting a plurality of turbine blades 14. Torque converter 10 also includes a damper assembly 16 provided between a piston 18 and turbine shell 12 rotationally coupling piston 18 and turbine shell 12 together. Piston 18 is axially slidable to engage a front cover 20 to rotationally couple turbine shell 12 to front cover 20. Damper assembly 16 includes a rotatable damper hub 22, a front cover plate 23 and a rear cover plate 24 that is riveted to turbine shell 12 and a turbine hub flange 26 by a plurality of round rivets 28 that pass through respective holes 25, 27, 29 in cover plate 24, turbine shell 12 and flange 26.
FIG. 1b shows a plan view of damper assembly 16 shown in FIG. 1a. FIG. 1c shows a cross-sectional view of damper assembly 16 taken along A-A in FIG. 1b and FIG. 1d shows a cross-sectional view of damper assembly 16 taken along B-B in FIG. 1b. A connection flange 38 of damper assembly 16 is fixed to damper hub 22 by a plurality of round rivets 30 spaced circumferentially about a center axis CA of torque converter 10 and damper assembly 16. Rivets 30 pass through corresponding holes 32 formed in connection flange 38 (two of which are shown unfilled by rivets 30 in FIG. 1b) and corresponding holes 34 formed in damper hub 22. Connection flange 38 also includes a plurality of holes 36 that are radially offset from holes 32. Holes 36 are aligned with respective holes 25, 27, 29 in cover plate 24, turbine shell 12 and flange 26 so that a riveting tool may be inserted through holes 36 (and corresponding holes 38 in damper hub 22) to install rivets 28 in holes 25, 27, 29 and connect cover plate 24 to turbine shell 12 and turbine hub flange 26.